Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited

Last Friday Australian shares ended higher, capping a winning week after reports that the US government was working on a program to help troubled US home owners. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 rose 44.8 points, or 1.27 per cent, at 3,559.1, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 38.2 points, or 1.1 per cent to 3,496.7. The Obama administration's seeking to lower expectations of a quick fix to the financial crisis and the coming earnings reports may send the market to a negative territory.

Yesterday offshore markets helped lift the Australian share market to a two-month high. Investors started to return as they were increasingly confident that the market may have passed the worst situation. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 37.0 points, or 0.99 per cent, at 3,779.7, and the broader All Ordinaries index added 39.0 points, or 1.06 per cent, to 3,728.2. The weaker commodities prices and performance of US stocks may send the local market down.

Yesterday the Australian market closed slightly lower led by Rio(ASX:RIO) and BHP(ASX:BHP), although metals prices were higher on the dropping of US dollar and rising Chinese imports. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed down 26 points, or 0.73%, to 3531.4, while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 24.1 points, or 0.69%, to 3468.2.

The Australian stock market closed more than two per cent lower on Friday following weakness in United States markets caused by doubts over a rescue package for US car makers. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had fallen 87.6 points, or 2.43 per cent, to 3,510.4, while the broader All Ordinaries index lost 81.7 points, or 2.31 per cent, to 3,452.5. As the US Senate's rejected the $14-billion bailout for American automotive makers, the stock market is expected to continue moving downward on the negative news.

In early trade today, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had risen as much as 60.8 points, or 1.2%, to 5047.0 with financial stocks leading the way, as the Wall Street lifted more than 302 points on Friday night. Wall Street's rally was a result of a surge in the US dollar and a drop in oil prices, which fell below $US115 a barrel for the first time since May.

Bendigo Bank Limited (ASX: BEN) - FY07 Interim Results - Mr Rob Hunt, MD; Boardroomradio is pleased to announce that Bendigo Bank Limited (ASX: BEN) has published an audio file.